No CFCs

LABEL REPORT CARD

How meaningful is the label? Is the label verified? Is the meaning of the label consistent? Are the label standards publicly available? Is information about the organization publicly available? Is the organization free from conflict of interest? Was the label developed with broad public and industry input?
Not Meaningful No Yes No No1 No2 No

1. There is no independent organization behind the label.
2. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.

WHAT THIS GENERAL CLAIM MEANS:
There is no government or official definition for this term. This claim is generally used on products sold in aerosol cans to mean that the product does not contain chlorofluorocarbons, one type of chemical that harms the earth’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is located in the upper atmosphere and helps to shield the earth from the sun’s radiation. CFCs were banned in nearly all consumer products in 1978 in the US. Some medical and pharmaceutical products, such as asthma inhalers, may still contain CFCs, although their use in these products is being phased out.

A product that does not contain CFCs could contain other types of chemicals that harm the ozone layer. Other chemicals harmful to the earth’s ozone layer include HCFCs, halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform.

Foods, drugs, and cosmetics are required to list their ingredients (with a few exceptions, such as fragrances in cosmetics), but household cleaning products are not required to disclose their ingredients (except for disinfectants or other ingredients considered to be antimicrobial pesticides).

WHO VERIFIES THIS GENERAL CLAIM?
There is no organization that verifies the use of this claim other than the company manufacturing or marketing the product.

The Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) is a non-profit organization sponsored by 3M that promotes the “No CFCs” logo on aerosol cans (See www.nocfcs.org). The logo is available to companies who wish to download it.

CONSUMERS UNION EVALUATION:
How meaningful is the label?
“No CFCs” is not meaningful. It is no guarantee that the product does not harm the ozone layer since it may contain other ozone-harming chemicals, and implies a benefit from the product when in fact CFCs are banned from nearly all consumer products.

Does an organization verify that the label standards are met?
No.

Is the meaning of the label consistent?
Yes.

Are the label standards publicly available?
No, there are no standards behind the label.

Is information about the standard organization publicly available?
No, there is no independent organization behind the label.

Is the organization behind the label free from conflict of public interest?
No, there is no organization independently certifying this claim. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.

Was the label developed with broad public and industry input?
No, there are no standards for this general claim.